Another Shooting in Minneapolis: My Thoughts

This morning I heard the news — another shooting in Minneapolis. First a mass shooting last night, and then word of an active shooter at a Catholic school. It hit me like a gut punch. I’m sick to my stomach. It doesn’t have to be this way.

What I can’t wrap my head around is how we, as a so-called civilized nation, tolerate this level of criminal behavior. We act like we’re helpless, like there’s nothing that can be done. Meanwhile, our politicians and “leaders” keep peddling the same old line: more laws, more restrictions, more rules for the good guys. But the truth is, we already have the ultimate law on the books: it’s illegal to murder people. And yet here we are.

The sad reality is that evil exists. Guns aren’t the problem — people with evil intent are. A firearm is just a tool. We don’t blame the hammer when it’s misused. We don’t outlaw fire extinguishers because someone sprayed one in a hallway. But somehow, the narrative always lands back on guns.

Here’s my plain answer. We stop tragedies like this by:

• Allowing teachers and staff the legal right to carry on school grounds if they choose.
• Trusting law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and others, instead of treating them as the threat.
• Actually enforcing the laws we already have instead of slapping wrists and letting criminals walk.

And prevention? It starts with accountability. It starts with taking warning signs seriously. It starts with not ignoring criminal behavior until it escalates into murder.

I know some people won’t like hearing this. But I refuse to sugarcoat it. This morning’s news makes me sick, but it also reinforces what I’ve been saying for years: freedom means responsibility. And pretending otherwise costs lives.

That’s all I’ve got right now. I just needed to put it into words.

John Davey